He's Back
by Amazon Wolf
Summary: After being dragged ashore by the actuators, Otto Octavius's life is turned back to where it once was...back to crime.
1. Chapter 1

The moon gleamed on the murky blue bay, followed by an eerie fog hanging over the edges of the water like a misty specter. The New York skyline glittered like a galaxy in the darkness, and peaceful feeling covered the bay. It was quiet...At least for now...

As cars cruised past the bay, no one seemed to notice a ripple of water moving swiftly across the glassy surface. As the ripple moved faster, the moon began to shimmer off of it, making it look like a shooting star running through the water. Suddenly, out of the ripple, a hideous mechanical tentacle arose from the water and shot across the coarse sand, gripped onto a massive rock near the shore with its claw as easily as someone would grab a doorknob. Another claw followed right after and both began tugging at the rock. It shifted a little, but was big enough to stay put. Ever so slowly, the body of a bedraggled man was dragged onto the shore along with the help of two more mechanical tentacles. The hydraulic arms sparkled with a cold silvery color and a red orb of light in each claw blinked softly. The man's face was pale, cold, lifeless...

_**Is he dead?**_

_**No...I don't think so...or else how are we alive? We live off of him, remember?**_

**_He's not dead...he's just unconscious..._**

**_We should move him somewhere safer...before he gets caught again..._**

The claws dug themselves into the sandy earth and supported the limp body as they walked down the shore. The hissing of hydraulic pumps buzzed in the stillness of the night...

_Whiiiiiir-crunch...click_

_Whiiiiir-crunch...click_

The claws were practically silent as they sank into the beach, almost like panthers hunting in the dark. No one would see them, and no one could stop them...

* * *

Darkness filled his senses, and a roaring pain throbbed in his head. The man was lying very still facedown, freezing beneath an oil-stained blanket. He heard a cracking sound, sending shivers up his spine, and bolted upright. The throbbing in his head turned to screaming, sending a painful sensation through his body. He ran his gloved hands over his face and brushed back some hair plastered on his face with water. He pulled off the gloves and examined his fingers. They were wrinkled, shaking violently, and turning a sickly blue color. It seemed too dark, but he realized that he had glasses on his face, so he quickly pulled them off. He could see both of his coats draped over some boxes, a pool of water forming under the steady dripping of the clothes.

"W-where am I?" He looked around quizzically at the huge room he was in. The floors were concrete, cold and hard, and, although it was very dark, he could see that the walls were gray with rusty stains dotting some parts. A bird outside twittered shrilly, causing the man to wince.

**_Nice to see you awake, Father..._** a chilling voice seemed to come from over his right shoulder. He turned his head and encountered a red light and a bulky mechanical claw right in his face. He leapt up and spun around, his eyes wide with fear like a deer in the headlights. The claw was gone, but he could still feel its presence.

**_What's the matter Father? Afraid? Do you not remember us?_** The voice now came from his other shoulder. He blinked at the claw as it snapped in his face and let out a small groan of fear.

"I thought...I thought I was dead...I thought you were-"

**_Thought _we_ were dead too? Silly little man...we can't die unless you do..._**

Two more claws hissed as they looked up from his lower back.

"That...that can't be right..."

**_Oh...but it is...you invented us, father...you know that better than any of us..._**

The man looked down sadly...they were right...he _did_ know better...

He gently craned his neck upwards, staring at the ceiling hidden in the inky darkness.

"But...but, you never answered my first question. Where am I?"

**_An old warehouse near the train yard..._**

"Won't people be here in the morning?"

_**No, this place is completely abandoned...No one really comes around here except a few silly children. They often come to see if this place is "haunted"...idiots...**_

_**So if that happens...we knock over a few boxes, rattle some chains, keep people out of here.**_

The man nodded slowly.

**_Plus, this place is perfect for your experiments, Doctor ? Out of sight...quiet...secluded..._**

Doctor Octavius looked up quickly and shook his head.

"Absolutely not! I will not do that again..." He started walking towards the door but felt his body being lifted off the ground.

**_Hmph...And I thought you were a genius...don't you know that we can just pluck you off the ground at our own little whim? We can keep you here as long as we like...Just listen to us..._**

"No! I won't...It was because of you that I almost lost my life! It was because of you that I almost killed an entire metropolis! It's because of you...that my wife is dead..."

_**No my friend...it was not us who killed your wife...it was your own pathetic attempt to keep going at your experiment...It's your fault she's not here...**_

That hit Doctor Octavius like a thousand pounds. As the tentacles lowered him to the ground, his legs grew limp and he collapsed to the floor on his hands and knees.

"No...no you're wrong...I didn't..." He shuddered as this thought ran through his already pain-ridden head and looked up at the tentacles hovering over him.

**_You did! You're just trying to fool yourself! But even you know the truth...you know that if you had listened to her...if you had stopped your experiment, she would be here at your side right now..._**

Otto clenched his teeth and sobbed suddenly. He heard the claw lowering towards his ear and clicked softly.

_**Don't worry professor...we will care for you...**_

**_Look at you...you look absolutely frozen...we should do something to warm him up..._**

One of the tentacles tugged at some old pieces of rotting wood that were hidden under some crushed crates. While the lower tentacles attempted to start a fire, the upper tentacles floated beside the professor.

**_So, we can start experimenting as soon as daylight-_**

"I already said no...no more experiments..."

**_But,_** the tentacle on the right leaned towards the professor's face slowly, **_but if you do these experiments...you'd be helping millions of people!_**

"Or hurting them...I made a promise...I wouldn't die like this...a sick freakish monster...unfortunately, the former is true...I didn't die. The latter is also true...I'm a monster..." He murmured softly.

A soft sizzle was heard, followed by the crackling of a fire. Everyone turned to the small burning embers glowing like rubies in the night. Doctor Octavius scurried over to it, a wave of warmth washing over him immediately. He smiled, forgetting all his problems for the time being.

* * *

Peter Parker sat in his small apartment building, looking out at the moon. It was 1:30 in the morning, but he was not tired at all. So many things had happened at once...Mary Jane had left her fiancé at the altar just to be with him, his only friend, Harry, had found out his secret...he had fought and beaten his idol, Professor Otto Octavius...and he was feeling mixed emotions. He rolled over his bed and reached for the light when a sudden sick feeling came over him. He crossed over to the window and held the windowsill as he stuck his head out into the cool night air. Something was wrong...but he couldn't put his finger on it...

* * *

A shadowy figure crept along the alleys of New York, stealing into the dark if someone came along. Luckily, only one or two people were out at this time in the morning...The figure stopped outside a convenient store and peered into the fluorescently lit window hungrily.

**_You're feeling a little better...so let's begin...There's some food, Otto. Go in and buy some...we'll be here if you need us..._**

Otto Octavius shuddered, then nodded slowly and gently pushed open the door. The tinkle of the bell startled him, but he recovered and walked in with a mellow attitude.

"Ah! Hello sir. Up a little early are we?" The elderly man behind the counter nodded from his chair and continued reading the newspaper. Otto peered from under his hat and cleared his throat.

"Yes...I couldn't sleep that well..."

"I can see why. You're soaked to the bone!" The man looked at him carefully.

"Oh...that? Well...it's a long story." He scratched his face and scrambled for refuge to the back of the store. He grabbed bags upon bags of chips, cookies, and candy, followed by a few bakery treats and bottles of water. The clerk continued to look at him strangely.

"A little hungry sir?"

"Yes...I am. Haven't been eating well..." Otto patted his stomach and forced a smile.

"Well, okay then. That'll be...$14.95 sir." Doctor Octavius rummaged through his soggy coat and grimaced.

_**Out of money?**_

"Yes."

"Excuse me? Yes what?" The clerk looked at him, then looked around with a puzzled expression.

"Oh...yes, as in...yes, I'll get you that money right away..." Otto stuttered and shoved his hands in his pockets frantically, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"No money?"

"_NO_! I mean...no..." Otto's voice quivered as he suppressed an overwhelming sensation of anger. He wanted to just leave...he wanted to get out of here before he did something he would regret. His face twitched as an inner battle raged inside of him...

**_Just let us do our job...we can get the money for you! _**

'_No...please...I can't hurt him...he did nothing wrong!'_

_**Can't he see you are struggling with money? He should give it to you...for all the pain and loss you've gone through...**_

'_No...no he doesn't have to...'_

_**Yes he does!**_

Otto stood there in silence.

"Sir? Excuse me...sir?" The clerk reached out to touch him on the shoulder when suddenly the doctor's expression turned from emptiness to anger. A tentacle shot out from beneath his coat and slammed the clerk against the back wall. The man gasped in horror as the claw gripped to his neck, crushing it and making it unable for him utter a sound.

"I need every cent in that register..." Octavius snarled. The man, his face turning blue, flailed around wildly. Another tentacle went to work opening the register while Octavius watched as the man's body began to grow limp. The clerk's motions became less radical, and finally Otto dropped the dead man into a heap and glared at the camera above the register.

**_I'll take care of that..._** the tentacle above his left shoulder crunched the camera into bits just as the register sprang open.

**_Get the security tape in the back room before you leave...we need to cover up your tracks..._**Otto nodded and walked briskly into the back room. He looked up at the small television monitor and ejected the videotape. He turned it over a few times in his hands and, after making sure it was the correct one, stuffed it in his pocket. He grabbed the television on the table with a twisted smile on his face and slammed it onto the linoleum floors. He watched as sparks leapt up onto the metal table and sneered.

'_Somehow...I feel like I enjoyed that...'_

**_Well done...it seems we are back in business my friend. _**

'_It seems we are...'_

* * *

As Otto sat alone in the warehouse, eating a candy bar drowsily, he felt the weight of guilt running over him, his conscience blaring in his head.

"That poor man...I...I can't believe I just did this..."

_**He deserved it...didn't even give you some free food...**_

"But...I had said that I wouldn't to this...I thought I had control..."

**_Oh no, Father. You have some control...but we do too..._**

Octavius nodded slowly and took another bite of the candy, then threw the wrapper into the dying flames. It flared up suddenly, illuminating his pale, sullen face, before quickly fizzling out.

"What about Parker? He's bound to find out that I'm back...I mean honestly..." He looked up at the mechanical arms grimly, "It's not that hard to figure out that I'm that 'Doctor Octopus' everyone talks about. Plus, Peter's a smart boy...he'll figure it out before we know about it..."

_**That's why we must be extremely careful...start with small crimes to get some petty cash. Then, once you get into the swing of things...we can really start...**_

Doctor Octavius grimaced. He didn't want to do this...but he needed the money and the food, or he would starve. Plus, if he could get enough money and create some wonderful things to help people...he could really make a difference in the city. That's all he wanted...to make up for his mistakes...

* * *

"What do we have here Staton?"

"Robbery...smart crook though. He got to the camera, and then got the tape. Smart...not too many of them out there like that." The police chief strode back and forth across the pavement outside of the little convenient store. The coroner's office officials were inspecting the body of the elderly man inside the store while the officers were looking for anyone who had seen the crime, or investigating the scene. The chief lit up a cigarette and let out a sigh.

"Unusual markings on the neck though...not like a typical strangling..." Officer Staton continued.

The chief took a long drag of the cigarette and looked over at his fellow officer.

"So you're telling me that this isn't a typical criminal? We're dealing with...what...a professional?"

"A professional who knows how to cover his tracks...yeah."

The chief tossed the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath his foot angrily.

"Find him. I don't want this to happen again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir...we'll get him, we promise."

The chief looked over the shoulder of the officer and sighed as he saw the coroner zipping up a bright yellow bag.

"Just what I needed...a professional criminal on my case..."


	2. Chapter 2

Rays of light gleamed through the shattered, dirty window of the warehouse, shining through the thick dust rising into the air. Otto blinked lazily and rubbed his head...sleeping on concrete is not that comfortable. He grasped for a nearby water bottle and chugged some down, then dowsed the rest over himself. He shook his head wildly, then stopped and blinked, patting down his now insanely out of control hair.

_**You'd think that after almost drowning, you'd be sick of water.**_

"It's not the water I'm sick of..." Octavius snapped, glaring at one of the tentacles, and began pacing the floor, his footfalls echoing in the emptiness.

**_What's the problem Father?_**

"I just have a feeling...I know they're coming...I'm going to get caught...I know it!"

_**No one will catch you...**_

"Oh really...No one, eh? What about...Spiderman? Peter will surely get on this case..."

The tentacles seemed to shudder at the name and sounded as if they were hissing.

_**HE WILL NOT FIND OUT!**_

Otto sneered and looked up at the ceiling. He had hit a nerve...one he intended to twist until he had his way. "Ah...but he will...and he will take care of us...just like last time..."

**_No...NO! He won't! WE have learned from YOUR mistakes...If you make any more errors, we will take care of it. You may have acted stupidly...attempting to give up your life to save people who hated you anyways...but we knew better...they would turn on us eventually...and that's exactly what they did..._**

Octavius didn't argue...he just sighed. "Whatever..."

**_Otto...father...Listen to us..._**

The voices were softer...kinder. This change in tone confused Otto. He looked up from the corner of his eyes at a claw leaning ever so slowly over his shoulder.

_**We are the only thing you have left...no one will take care of you...we need you as much as you need us.**_

Professor Octavius began to nod, these thoughts filling his head. "Yes...yes you're right...You re the only ones who stood by me...you are the only ones I can trust...the only ones who care. My creations...my children..."

**_Yes...we are you're children. And we want our father to be happy. So tonight, we make another stop..._**

"What is this? Crap...crap...crap..." J. Jonah Jameson muttered as he tossed some pictures onto his desk. "Crap...okay...crap..." He picked up the pictures and stuffed them in a yellow envelope. "150 bucks for this trash, Parker." Peter Parker nodded reluctantly.

"Of course sir..." He smiled grimly as Jameson signed a small piece of paper and handed it to him.

"Sir...the chief's on the phone...line one..." a secretary called through the door.

"Alright, alright...get outta here Peter." The editor picked up the phone.

"Yeah? Hey there Chief...uh-huh...Really? Hmm...details? Sure. Peter! Get back in here." Peter as barely out the door and poked his head into the room.

"Yes Mr. Jameson?"

"You're assigned to a new story. "Convenient Store Murder Baffles Police!" heh...nice title huh? Made it up just now." Jameson chuckled, the cleared his throat. "Anywho...get down to the station...take pictures...do your job. Now get out of here!"

Peter sat before the desk of the scruffy-looking police chief. He shifted in his seat as the chief described the gruesome scene.

"It was complete havoc...the man was behind the counter, blue in the face from suffocation...stuff from the shelves were all over him...buried in a sort of make-shift tomb of magazines and lottery tickets. The security camera and videotape were completely destroyed, crushed and shattered all over the floor. And there wasn't a single witness. This person was smart...and knew how to elude us...at least for the time being." The chief stroked his snow-white mustache and grumbled.

"Was there anything else unusual about this case, sir?"

"Well...we know that the man was strangled...but, the marks on his neck...so bizarre. First time I've seen them in all the years I've been in the force." The chief shook his head slowly. "But, what I want to know is...where was that Spiderman when that poor man needed him?" Peter cringed in his seat and stood shakily.

"I...I'm not sure sir...well, Thank you for the details. I'll bring them to Mr. Jameson ASAP."

"You're very welcome, Peter..." The officer shook his hand and nodded to another policeman outside of his office. "Find anything new, Jeff?"

"No sir...but the coroner is still checking out those markings. They say that it wasn't a human mark, such as a pair of bare hands...the human hand, no matter how strong the person is, would not be able to crush the trachea like that. It was more like a foreign object...a chain, rope, or something of that sort."

"Write that down Peter...hopefully that will help us." Peter nodded as he scribbled down the last letters and sauntered out of the police station. He rubbed his face and sighed.

"Why _didn't_ I help that man? But...I didn't know! I would have gone to help if I could've...I should have made late night rounds......But I was just so tired......" He was so busy talking to himself that he wasn't paying attention to oncoming people on the sidewalk. He rammed into the man and fell to the ground with a huff.

The man kept walking, muttering a soft "Watch it kid..."

Peter looked up at the man. He was draped in a long sienna coat and was wearing a brown fedora...and that voice...very familiar...but Peter just shook his head and brushed himself off. "Some people..." He grumbled as he started heading back to the Daily Bugle building.

'_That was way too close...'_

**_Yes, but he didn't recognize you...did he? _**

'_No...I don't think so...'_

Doctor Octavius stood under a large, shady oak tree in Central Park. The outdoors was a good change for him...he was sick of being pent up in a warehouse all alone. Golden flecks of light glittered through the branches above, dotting his face and clothes. He pulled on his glasses, blocking out much of the light from his eyes. He took out a cigar from his pocket, along with a silver lighter he had taken from the convenient store, and watched as some children scurried across the grass and over to their parents.

**_We have to think out possibilities for money, Father. First...the bank. I find that it will be too difficult...it has too many people. There's security guards, cameras, the works. It would be too easy to get caught. We have to go for the small stuff._**

"Of course..."

**_So...when it gets dark enough...head out to the drugstore...it's around here somewhere...we'll explain everything afterwards._**

"Alright..." He leaned against the rough base of the tree with a sly smile. "This ought to be fun..."

"Good job Pete. Sammy! Run this up to the writer. Now please? This is what I pay you for people!" Jameson roared as a timid intern darted from the room.

"Thanks Mr. Jameson." Peter nodded and started out the door. He rubbed the back of his head and adjusted the camera strap around his neck as he stepped out into the bright sunlight. The large clock in the middle of the city tolled loudly...noon. No wonder he was starving. He started down the street when he heard the sudden scream of police sirens careening down the street. Peter grimaced.

"Guess lunch'll have to wait..." He sprang down an alley and slid the ruby red mask over his face. "Spiderman is back in business..." He roared as he shot a silvery web above his head, slinging him high into the air and over the large brick buildings. People below were cheering him on as he soared through the air, which made him feel very happy indeed.

He landed on a streetlamp and peered ahead of him. Flames were erupting from a pile of cars...an explosion was imminent...

_**BOOOOM!!!!!!**_

Otto turned sharply at the source of the noise. Smoke rose above the treetops in the park, slithering into the air like a black snake.

"What was that? Seems like there's a problem in the city..."

**_Excellent observation, father..._** one of the voices hissed sarcastically.

"Should we see what's going on?"

_**No...it's no concern to us...**_

Octavius pulled the cigar from his mouth and puffed out a little smoke ring. He breathed deeply, closing his eyes, a peaceful feeling covering him, when he felt a sharp tug at his coat. A young boy with a sandy colored bowl-shaped haircut and bright blue eyes smiled at Otto.

"That was neat! Can you do it again?"

Otto looked over his glasses and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse......Um...what? Do...do I know you?"

"Nope. Hey, can you do that neat smoke-ring thing again?" The boy smiled.

Otto looked around, bewildered, and then leaned towards the kid.

"Beat it kid...go back to the sandbox an' play with your little shovel and pail...little brat..."

The kid's smile faded quickly. He glared at Doctor Octavius and pointed his finger at him.

"HEY! You can't call me a brat!"

"Oh yeah? Well, what's a little twerp like you going to do about it? Hmmm?"

The boy's face turned bright red. "You're just...just a big...stupid...JERK!!"

Otto just snorted in disgust.

"Are you kidding me? Is that the best you have?" He chuckled. The little kid growled and kicked Octavius in the shin. The doctor yelped in pain, clutched his leg, and glared at the little boy.

"Little pest...You are going to pay for that..." A tentacle shot out from his back and grabbed the child around the waist. The little boy tried to scream, but another claw clamped over his mouth.

**_Genius! Well done father...very smart of you. A ransom would help us very much...a lot more than night time robberies..._**

"But..." Otto began to realize what was going on. "No...what am I doing? I can't!"

**_You can! Hurry and run! RUN!_ **

Otto noticed that a bicyclist was nearing...If he was seen attempting a kidnapping...then his plans would be ruined. He had to do something, so he took off, clutching the boy in his arms. He took a deserted path down to the riverside, his heart racing with adrenaline. As he skidded to a stop, he could hear the faint footsteps of someone was nearing them.

"Where do I go now?!" He cried frantically as the person came into view.

_**Behind the rock...GET BEHIND THE ROCK!**_

Otto lunged behind a large rock, slamming his body flat against it, and grasped the boy against him, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Don't make a single sound..." He hissed in the boy's ear as one of the mechanical claws rose menacingly before the child.

A woman jogged past them quickly, humming along with the song in her CD player. He waited until the woman was out of sight before rising.

"Almost got caught there..."

_**Just get to the warehouse...we can deal with things there...**_

As they neared the warehouse, Otto could hear the boy's sharp, muffled sobs. Otto threw open the sliding doors with a loud _CLACK_ and dropped the child on the hard concrete floor.

Otto watched as the child backed away from him across the floor, whimpering.

"P-please...p-please don't h-hurt me...I just wanted to s-s-see a smoke r-r-ring!" The child blubbered as he swiped at his tear-filled eyes.

"No...no don't cry. Please. I won't hurt you..." He shot a harsh glance at one of the claws as it crept over his shoulders.

_**What? I wasn't going to do anything...**_

"Please...don't give me that crap."

The boy stopped sobbing slightly and looked up at Otto. "Were...were you just talking to yourself?"

Otto turned sharply and bit his lower lip. "Um...No?"

"Oh...because I just thought..." The boy looked a little bewildered, but he was starting to calm down.

"Uh...do you...I don't know...want a candy bar or something? Will that make you feel better?" Otto scratched the back of his head nervously. He wasn't that good with kids...let alone kids he just kidnapped from a park.

The boy sniffed loudly and slowly nodded. "Um...okay." Otto handed the boy a chocolate bar and sighed. He reached over to a water bottle with one of the tentacles and chugged at it while the claw held it up to his lips. He wiped his mouth off on his sleeve and looked down at the boy, whose eyes were wide as saucers.

"What?"

"Hey...you're that Doc Ock guy who was in the news a few months ago, huh?" The boy's eyes widened with awe and terror as he glanced at the mechanical arms. "Oh no...you're going to rip me apart with those things! Please! Don't! I don't wanna get hurt!" The boy screeched.

"'Doc Ock'? So that's what they call me now? Sounds a little stupid to me...hey...hey! shhh! Shut up! I'm not...hey! I'm not gonna hurt you kid!" Otto plugged his ears as the boy's screams grew louder. He felt his temper rising...and suddenly, the two lower tentacles slammed into the ground and pushed up, raising Doctor Octavius into the air. He walked menacingly towards the boy, who had stopped crying and was now screaming in hysteria.

"What part of shut up do you not understand? QUIET DOWN!" Otto glared at the kid.

The boy immediately stopped, and Otto lowered himself to the ground.

"Listen...I'm sorry kid...I need all the money I can get...so I'm going to have to keep you here for a while." He watched the child shudder at this thought. "If I didn't have to, I wouldn't have brought you here...but this is the only way..." Otto grimaced and walked towards a crate. He leaned against it and put his face in his hands. "How low can a guy get...?"

The child looked down sadly, then quickly began rummaging through his pockets. He pulled out some lint covered pennies, a button, and remnants of a cookie. He shuffled carefully towards Otto and held out the change in his tiny palms. Otto looked over the rims of his glasses with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Now will you let me go?" the boy whispered.

Otto pushed the boy's hand back gently and shook his head.

"No...I can't do that...I'm going to need a lot more money than this, kid...a _lot_ more..."

The boy looked down sadly and sat down, clutching his knees against his chest.

Otto scratched the back of his head and began thinking deeply. An idea suddenly sprang into his head. "Hey...you like cards? How about we play cards? You ever play poker, kid?"

"Poker? What's that? I play 'Go Fish'!"

Otto cringed '_Great...What a stupid game......well, if it shuts him up...'_

"Fine...let's play 'Go Fish'..."


	3. Chapter 3

Peter sat in the hospital room with tubes hanging around him like, ironically, a strange, sanitary spider web. He blinked drowsily and winced. The burns on his body felt horrid...sharp pains coursed through his arms and legs. The soft beeping of the heart monitor was the only noise besides his slow breathing.

"Don't fidget so much Peter..." A soft hand brushed back his hair. Peter looked up slowly and saw the smiling face of Mary Jane Watson. He gave forced a weak smile.

"Nice to see you MJ..."

"I should be the one happy to see you! How could you think of doing something so insane, Pete? You could have killed yourself!"

Images flashed in his mind...cars piled atop one another, twisted metal engulfed in flames...children in the car were screaming...

"I had to help those kids..." he whispered hoarsely. He remembered punching in the rear window...glass slicing into his hand...and pulling those kids out...he was only a few feet away from the car when it exploded...he had left the scene before anyone came to help him...and that was the last he could remember. He didn't even recall signing in at the hospital.

Mary Jane sighed with frustration and nodded slowly. "I know...You're right...you're right. I'm sorry. I just got a little worked up. You're aunt has been worried sick..." She said grimly.

"Aunt May? What happened?"

"Nothing...she's fine. She's just really worried."

Peter closed his eyes gradually.

"Good..."

Mary Jane gripped his hand gingerly and, with the other hand, flattened down some of his hair.

"You need your rest Pete...I'll visit tomorrow." She kissed her fingertips and rested them on his forehead before striding out of the door.

Peter smiled sheepishly, closing his eyes slowly as he fell asleep.

* * *

"Go fish..." Otto drawled.

The boy sighed and drew another card from the pile laying out on the worn out desk.

Otto hadn't played cards since...well, he couldn't quite remember. His tentacles held the cards as he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"So...Jack, right? Jack, do you have any sevens?"

"Nope...wrong again." Jack grinned.

**_Father...shouldn't you be working on that ransom note right now?_**

"Not now...I have to win..."

"Yea right Octo man!" Jack sneered and slammed down the rest of his cards. "I win!"

Otto huffed and threw down his cards. "Just lucky, kid... I need to get going..." He wrapped his trench coat around him tighter and turned towards the door.

"Where?"

"None of your concern..." He looked at his watch and grimaced. "2 AM? Have I been playing cards that long?"

"2 AM?! COOL! I'm awake, and it's 2 am! Whoo!" Jack bounced around the room. Otto rolled his eyes. He grabbed Jack by the waist and hoisted him onto one of the many large chains hanging down from the ceiling, the ones used to hook up crates and take them down from high up places.

"You...stay here...stay!" He muttered and threw open the metal doors.

"Why can't I go with you?"

"Because..."

"Because why?"

Otto glared at Jack "Because I said so." He added briskly and slammed the door behind him before the child could ask him anything else.

* * *

Octavius peered into the graffiti-covered convenient store and caught his reflection in the glass. After a moment of silence, he jumped as one of the voices returned.

_**This is it, father...get inside...**_

As Otto entered the small store, the large man with greasy black hair and goatee behind the counter practically snarled at him.

"You gonna buy somethin' fancy pants, or just stand there an' look pretty?" Octavius glared at the man.

"Fancy pants? That's the most ridiculous name I've ever heard..." He muttered.

The man behind the counter returned the glare. Otto strode over to get more water and junk food, and then sauntered to the counter.

"$11.05..." The cashier growled.

_**Shall we?**_

'_If you must...I suppose so...'_

Everything began to repeat itself....just like the last robbery.

Octavius watched as the man hit the ground with a thud, covered in unopened cigarette packs and magazines. Otto repeated the same process of crushing the security camera and television, and then stuffed the money and videotape into his jacket.

Otto reached for the door, but turned and looked over at the scene. "Oh, and no hard feelings for that fancy pants thing...alright?" Doctor Octavius sneered and shut the light off.

* * *

"So, what did you do?" Jack smiled, spinning in the air, still attached to the chain in the warehouse, as Otto shut the door behind him.

"None of your business..." Otto threw down the videotape and a wad of cash.

_**Not that much...is it?**_

'_No...Usually cashiers don't carry much money at such an early hour.'_

_**Well...that's why we need to get ready and fix up that ransom...understood?**_

'_Yeah, yeah...I understand...'_ Otto looked over his shoulder at Jack, who was staring at him quizzically.

Octavius pulled out a wad of crinkled paper and a fountain pen from his pocket.

"So, Jack...what are your parents' names?"

"My mom's name is Sally..." Jack tugged at his chain angrily. "Can I get down now?"

"Hmm? Oh...right..." Otto continued writing while one of his mechanical appendages snapped the boy down from his little prison. The child hit the ground hard and quickly rubbed his elbow.

"Ow! Hey! That hurt!"

"Well, tell me, are you glad that you're down from there?" Otto muttered as he continued writing.

"Yeah..."

"Then be quiet."

Jack sat on the ground and yanked at a bag of chips buried beneath the money.

"Where'd you get all that money? I didn't know the bank was open now!"

"It's not...ever heard of ATMs?"

"Yeah...of _course_ I have. What do you think I am, stupid?"

Doctor Octavius clutched the pen in his fist and glared at Jack.

"Could you please...for a few seconds...just be quiet? Please?" Otto clenched his teeth together, then started muttering beneath his breath.

"You're not a very nice guy...big loser...that's what you are! No _wonder_ why nobody in the city loves you!" Jack sneered.

"I'd stop while I was ahead if I were you...just for your information, someone _did_ love me...she's gone now."

"Well no duh...she probably got sick of you...big stupid stupid-head!"

That comment made Doctor Octavius snap. He spun around and wrapped a tentacle around the boy's ankles, swinging him upside-down, and brought him right up to his face, just inches away.

"Don't you _dare _talk to me like that you insolent little whip! I WAS married...My wife...she" He stopped, struggling to bring himself to say the words... "...She died...alright?! Are you happy now?!" Otto paused, his anger rising with each word. He threw the boy to the ground roughly and whipped around...scribbling on the paper furiously. He didn't want to injure the boy, so tossing him to the side was the only way to keep Jack from Otto...to keep him from getting hurt.

"She.....She's dead?"

"Yes...she's dead. Now go sit by the fire...eat something...bug off...little brat." hissed Otto, not even bothering to look at the boy anymore.

Jack sat beside the fire, eating chips as silently as he could. He watched as the embers from the small fire flickered across the room and the golden light starting to fade into the darkness. He could hear the hard scratches of Otto's pen against the paper slow down, so he took this temporary calmness to look over his shoulder at Octavius.

"Um...Mr. Octopus...I'm sorry...about whatever happened. You know...to your wife. What...What _did_ happen to her?"

Otto was silent, holding the pen against the paper, and sighed. He could remember nothing...just the final seconds before the accident. He never got so say goodbye...he never got to give final respects to his wife. He didn't know where she was buried...alone in the cold, hard ground...the perfect soul mate...his Rosie...gone forever.

Jack watched as the man shuddered suddenly and heard what sounded like...sobbing? Jack pushed himself off the ground slowly and made his way over to Otto. As he reached out his hand to touch the doctor's coat, Otto's hand whipped around and grabbed the boy by the wrist. Jack writhed a little, his arm starting to sting from being twisted. He looked down at Otto and saw glint of a tear on his cheek, but it was gently wiped away by one of the claws.

Otto's heart was filled with anguish. He glared at the child from behind his sunglasses, then, slowly, he began to feel his heart soften. He saw the boy's pain...and it scared him. He was hurting this child, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to hurt anyone... especially an innocent child. Otto released his grip and sat there, his hand in the air and his face filled with fear and confusion.

"I....I..." He stuttered and looked down sadly, his eyes still wide with terror. He didn't know what was going on...he wanted to just leave now. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you..."

Jack could tell that Otto was sincere...somehow, Otto looked so vulnerable...so tired and sad.

"Don't worry Mr. Octopus...I'm okay. You can keep on writing...don't worry about my question..."

Otto looked over his shoulder with a gloomy, haggard expression as Jack sauntered back to his seat silently. He looked down at his paper, then back at the boy.

"Thank you..."

* * *

Peter sat up in bed, glancing at his watch anxiously. It had been 3 weeks since he had been admitted into the hospital, and was waiting for the doctor to arrive and give him permission to leave. His skin was not burned that badly anymore, but they had kept him there just to be sure.

Parker flipped on mini television in his room and turned to the news.

"Hopefully there hasn't been too much pandemonium..." He muttered as the weather report ended.

"And now, our tops stories. Police are still looking for the Convenient Store Killer...This very smart criminal knows how to lead the police on. Three more lives have been claimed, bringing the death toll up to 5. Dan?"

"Thanks Stacy. Another sad story, young Jack Crowler age 9, is still missing. A ransom note was left at the home of the parents, and police are struggling to raise the 5 million dollar ransom. More details after this..."

Peter groaned and clicked the remote. He was disgusted...everything was going haywire!

"Ah! Peter! Nice to see you up and about again..." The doctor strode in and smiled.

"You too Doctor Samuel. So? Do you think I can get outta here?"

"Well, you seem to be strong enough, the burns are healing very well, and you are quite alert...I'll check with one of my associates, and if he agrees, you can be on your way!"

Peter rolled his head back on the pillow and groaned as the doctor waddled out.

* * *

"Hey...Hey...Hey! HEY!!"

"_WHAT_ do you WANT?!" Doctor Octavius snapped as he glared at Jack.

"...I'm hungry."

"Yeah...and?"

Jack furrowed his brow. Apparently such questions were too much for his small mind. "And...uh...I want food!"

"Well, so do I. So just sit there like a nice little boy and, I don't know...talk to your imaginary friends or something..."

Jack crossed his arms and looked quite angry. "I'm gonna be 10...I don't _have_ imaginary friends."

Otto smiled sarcastically. "Oh pardon _me_! I'm _sooo_ sorry..." He rolled his eyes and started digging through the many shattered wooden crates in the warehouse. "There MUST be an undamaged box around here..." He muttered wildly as he scurried about.

"Yeah, you better be sorry. I'm turning 10 in three days!" He nodded proudly.

"That's nice. Ah! Here we go..." Otto smiled. He stuffed his money into the box and then whipped around suddenly, causing Jack to trip over and fall backwards. He glared at the front door and motioned for Jack to be quiet. He focused on the door as the voices grew louder.

"Hey...I thought I heard something in here Max...grab the crowbar in the trunk of my squad car."

"Police..." Otto seethed and glared hard at Jack, who was grinning. He was happy the police were there...they would help him for sure.

Jack opened his mouth to cry out for help, but Otto foresaw this and clamped a mechanical claw on the child's mouth, then walked briskly to the door. He pressed his ear against it and smiled wickedly as the sound of the two men reemerged.

_**I suggest holding them here...with us...**_

_I agree wholeheartedly!'_

Jack watched in horror as Otto threw open the doors and caught both officers by the arms. Neither could reach their walkie-talkies, so the doctor knew they wouldn't call for back up. The only remaining tentacle stripped the officers of their guns, nightsticks, and walkie-talkies before handing the weapons to Otto.

"Ah...why thank you. So, what are two fine, upstanding officers such as yourselves doing in an old rust bucket like this?" Octavius sneered, cocking his head playfully. The actuator near his shoulder mimicked this movement and snapped menacingly.

"Looking for him." One of the officers motioned towards Jack, keeping a cautious eye on the claw. "His mom's worried sick...she want him home."

"Oooh how sad...boo-hoo..." Otto laughed maniacally and leaned towards the officers. "Well...I want my money...so unless you were bringing me the cash, you'll be staying here with the boy and myself." Otto sauntered over to the hanging chains and tied up the officers high enough to keep them from escaping.

"You know the police will come..." An officer yelped from above, flailing about wildly in his chains.

"Oh?...I thought you _were_ the police..." Otto's wily smile crossed his lips. He turned to the door, shutting it behind him as he walked into the daylight. Squinting in the brightness, he spotted the police car and grasped the front end with the actuators, dragging it slowly into the warehouse.

As Otto slammed the door behind him, he could hear the crackling voice emitting from the radio inside the car.

"Calling squad car 11? Car 11...please respond...over."

Otto peered into the car and spotted the communication radio. He gently reached in, then suddenly pulled back, tearing the radio from the car. The police in the chains looked down grimly...they hadn't told the station of their whereabouts yet...so now no one knew exactly where they were.

Otto handed the radio to one of the claws and grinned as the actuator crushed it before the eyes of the police.

"Well done....." Otto pulled out a cigar and lit up, smiling all the while. "It seems to me gentlemen, and annoying captive, that we are all going to be here for a while."

Otto sauntered calmly towards the policemen and puffed some smoke at their faces. He pulled down his glasses a little and leaned towards one of the policemen, holding a fresh cigar in his face.

"...Cigar, officer?"


End file.
